Steve Hoselitz served as editor of the South Wales Argus from 1987-94. He later turned his attention to training journalists around the globe and also helped achieve Jeremy Corbyn's surprising General Election result. TOMOS POVEY met with him in Monmouthshire

“MY FATHER was an Austrian research physicist and my mother was a German mathematician and physicist.

“They were Jewish refugees and came to Britain before 1939.

“Before getting to Britain, my father was arrested in Austria because officials had found a copy of the Communist manifesto in his home. I believe it was his brother’s. Fortunately my father had already got a visa to leave for Britain. He told the guard this and for some reason he let him go. Why that happened I do not know - that certainly did not often happen.

South Wales Argus:

Steve Hoselitz as a young boy

“And when things got really nasty in Germany my mother went to Switzerland and later Britain.

“I admired my parents so much. They were truly wonderful people.

“My sister was born in 1945 and then I came along in 1947 in Sheffield. We then moved to Surrey in 1952.

“I was brought up in suburban London. After college I went into journalism.

“I had always thought I would follow my father into the sciences. But I did not feel like I could change the world in that area. So I wanted to do something other than science.

“I got a job on a tech magazine and later moved to a bigger technical magazine. But again, I did not feel like I was changing the world.

South Wales Argus:

“After this I moved into general news. I then worked for an agency in London for two or three years.

“Eventually I went to Blackpool to join the West Lancashire Evening Gazette. I was taken on as a sub-editor. I liked it very much and got married there.

“In 1977 I became deputy editor at the South Wales Argus.

“The then editor was Ken Griffin, who gave me a lot of leeway.

MORE NEWS: Holy Cheesus in Bridge Street, Newport, has closed

“When I joined the South Wales Argus it was still a family-owned newspaper. But when the family learned how much the paper was worth I think they decided the asset was better than the trouble of running it from a distance.

“United Newspapers later bought the paper.

“I was made editor in 1987, when the previous editor left the paper.

South Wales Argus:

Steve Hoselitz on his first day as editor

“The owners of the paper took the view they wanted someone internally to become editor, so I was offered the job. I became editor at 40 and was overjoyed. I had really lovely members of staff. We had a good reputation as a training newspaper, too.

“There were about 60 members in editorial, which included subs, feature writers, photographers, copy-takers and librarians.

“The paper went from strength to strength. This was because we were a reliable source and wanted to report anything that moved on patch.

“Tom Welsh was the managing director and he was a terrific guy to work with. We had a very good rapport. He brought out the best in people and understood us.

“When he left, I decided I would leave too. That was in 1994. I felt it was time to follow other interests.

South Wales Argus:

Steve Hoselitz at his home in Monmouthshire

“I am currently as confused as others with the way forward for print journalism. I really think it is important that professional journalists continue to operate because they have the skills that citizen journalists do not have. One of the ethics of the profession is to offer all sides of the argument, which is not what citizen journalism is about.

“The internet had not come about when I was editor. I’m not afraid of technology but what I am very aware of is that we adopt technology long before we understand its social implications. Just as the TV changed life forever, so have computers and mobiles.

“After leaving the Argus, I thought I could start a business to help non-journalistic people get their stories into newspapers. I joined forces with a former broadcaster to form a small publicist business called Steve Hoselitz Associates. We worked for local companies and the Thompson Foundation, which trains journalists in the developing world. We went around the world to train journalists, including Zimbabwe.

"Some years later, I decided it was time to leave journalism completely. Then I turned my attention to pottery. I had learned pottery at school and later went to evening classes. I built a shed down the bottom of the garden and that is where I make pottery. It was a way to get out of journalism. I sell pieces of pottery - but it is more of a hobby than a business.

South Wales Argus:

“Two years ago, I also did some work in politics. One of the people who trained at the Argus was a very talented man called Steve Howell. He later became deputy communications director for the Labour Party.

“When Theresa May called a snap election, Steve got in touch and asked me to go up to London for eight weeks. That is when I worked in Jeremy Corbyn’s communications team.

“Jeremy is a charming man and a very genuine person. You talk to him and he looks you in the eye and listens.

“When I look back at my work I have never really had a bad day. I loved my work and the team were brilliant at the Argus. I hope we served the community because that is what I set out to do.”